Lotteries and lottery theory are well known in the art. Generally a prize is awarded when an assigned or chosen series of numbers is matched with corresponding numbers that have been randomly chosen.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,521 entitled “Video Lottery Game” discloses a video lottery system utilizing multiple player-activated video terminals that are linked to computers performing centralized game draw and accounting functions. Each player places a wager and selects his lottery draw choices. The system enrolls the player in a future lottery game after the player makes his choices. The system automatically draws the lottery numbers. The results of the selected game are displayed at the player's terminal in a manner as to provide the excitement of a real-time game.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,062 entitled “Lotto Gaming Apparatus and Method” discloses an individual electronic system adapted for playing a Lotto game. The electronic system is configured to rapidly acknowledge a player's win or loss status. The player plays his/her selected numbers against the electronic lotto gaming apparatus randomly generated win numbers. In addition, the lotto gaming apparatus can transfer and receive lotto game information to a central processing system which is capable of handling multiple players from multiple lotto gaming apparatus either within a certain gaming facility or state wide, nationally or internationally. Moreover, the system is configured to allow individual players of the lotto game to access and rapidly determine their win status via an electronic telecommunications network such as the Internet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,032 entitled “Lottery Game” discloses two or more different denominational levels for game tickets, i.e., two or more groups of tickets with tickets in each group being priced differently from tickets in the other groups. All tickets in any one group are priced identically to one another. Wagers received from each ticket group are placed in a corresponding jackpot pool according to the denominational level or amount of the tickets sold for that pool. All wagers for each denomination are processed by a single central controlling authority, with wagers being distributed to each separate pool according to the corresponding wager denomination. Thus, the present game provides a series of different and separate jackpot pools corresponding to each ticket price or denominational level. Jackpots or prizes are awarded from each pool to the winning bettor holding a ticket corresponding to that denominational level and jackpot. Alternatively, the pools are combined and divided in accordance with the total amount of each wager denominational level group. The game is played for a predetermined period of time, or to a predetermined date, or through the sales of a predetermined number of tickets in a given denominational group or groups, as desired. Prizes (e.g., automobiles, etc.) are awarded in addition to money, at the higher or highest denominational levels. A percentage of each pool, or of the combined total, is retained by the operating authorities for overhead, charitable or government use, etc., if so desired.